Year of the Spark: Novemeber 14 to 19
by Sparky Army
Summary: Trapped in a time loop, Rodney and John must find a way to stop it but get distracted by the possibilities of living without consequences. The Year of the Spark continues.
1. Chapter 1

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree._

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

Authors Note: Yes, I was watching SG1 when I decided to write this but hey I love that episode.

* * *

**Loop in Time**

_By Hannah554_

* * *

Chapter 1

If he had been any more bored he would probably have actually found out if people could really die from boredom. He was reduced to sitting in Rodney's lab annoying the scientist while he played with the latest Ancient toy to be found off world and brought back through the gate. He'd been at it for two days now and hadn't learnt a whole lot; he didn't know what it did or how to switch it on. The latter was probably a good thing until he figured out the first one, there were a dozen pieces of technology that he'd been forbidden from playing with because he'd switched them on not knowing what they did and then struggled to switch them back off again.

"So," John began "You figured out what it does yet?"

"Not since the last time you asked me," Rodney replied looking at his watch. "Which was 10 minutes ago."

John sighed and went quiet again, resisting the urge to complain once again about how unfairly bored he was. Why was it that everything bad had to happen all at the same time giving them no time to breathe at all and then the rest of the time nothing happened leaving them with two much time and nothing to do?

"You figured it out yet?" he questioned and Rodney sighed.

"If you're bored why don't you go annoy someone else, spar with Ronon or something?" Rodney suggested.

"Did that this morning, got my ass kicked as usual," he said subconsciously rubbing at the newly forming bruise on his ribcage. Sooner or later he was going to learn to stop sparring with Ronon and Teyla, he never won and he came out of it worse than when he went in. On the other hand his hand to hand combat had improved massively over the last few years, he might not be able to beat Ronon and Teyla but he could probably beat just about everyone else now.

"How hard can this be really?" John said more to wind Rodney up than actually believing it was easy. He stood up and picked up the device ignoring Rodney's protests and immediately put it back down when a light came on and the machine started powering up.

"What did you do?" Rodney questioned.

"I didn't do anything," John replied stepping back from the device.

"It must have been your gene," Rodney said and then started muttering to himself as he was fussing around the device.

"It's always the gene," John stated, at least he wasn't bored anymore. "Turn it off."

"I would but considering I didn't even know how to turn it on that's kind of difficult," Rodney replied in his usual panicking, agitated voice. The humming from the device was getting louder and louder until John could barely hear his own thoughts. There was a flash of light, so bright John had to cover his eyes.

* * *

John woke up in his bed, it took him longer than usual to come around and he turned to the side, the clock telling him he didn't need to be up for another hour. He wasn't tired enough to fall back to sleep though so he got up and headed for the bathroom showering and changing before going in search of something to do. He headed up to Elizabeth's office, always his first port of call on a morning and he wasn't surprised to find her already there buried in paperwork.

She looked up and brushed her hair out of her face, her gaze settling on the stargate for a moment before returning to her work. John got a very distinct feeling of déjà vu but he shrugged it off and went into the office dropping himself into the chair and waiting for her to look up at him.

"Up early aren't you?" she questioned with a smile.

"I could say the same about you," John replied and she raised an eyebrow at him, understanding the hidden meaning in his words.

"I have a lot of work to do," she told him and he nodded his head.

"Then I should probably let you get on with it, I'll see you for lunch later," he said, his way of making sure she actually left her work for ten minutes so that she could eat. The stargate activated, someone was dialling in but John knew no one was due back until that afternoon. He and Elizabeth headed through to the control room as Chuck informed them that he was receiving an IDC.

"It's Major Lorne," he announced.

There was no way; this had all happened already.

"One of them is injured," John said testing his own theory and getting a strange look from Elizabeth in response. "He fell and hit his head, pretty nastily too."

Elizabeth looked down into the gate room as Lorne appeared followed by the rest of his team, two of which were supporting the third. He had a bandage around his head, a patch of blood showing through it. Elizabeth snapped her head around to look at him before heading down to the gate room to meet Lorne. John followed her down more slowly; he'd already heard what had happened once he didn't need to hear it again. Lorne left with his team, heading down to the infirmary as Rodney came running passed him.

"I think something's wrong," Rodney said.

"What gave you that idea?" John replied sarcastically. "Could it be that this all happened already?"

"How did you know that?" Rodney questioned "Are you repeating the day too, well of course you are, everyone is, but you can actually remember it?"

"No Rodney," John said. "I just said it anyway, what do you mean repeating the day."

"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree._

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

**

* * *

**

Loop in Time

_By Hannah554_

* * *

Chapter 2

Rodney had determined that they were stuck in a time loop pretty quickly, it helped that four hours later John was once again waking up in his bed an hour before his alarm went off. After six loops Rodney was still no closer to figuring out how to get him and John the hell out of this. John was actually starting to get a little irritated by the repetitiveness, wake up one hour before the alarm goes off, go convince Elizabeth he was trapped in a time loop with Rodney and neither of them had gone insane...yet, then spend the following three hours helping Rodney in whatever miniscule way he could. After those three hours was over he started back at square one again only he was slightly more frustrated than the last time.

Now he was sitting in Rodney's lab watching the scientist tinker with the device that had caused all of this. John swore if he ever got out of this he'd never touch another piece of ancient technology unless he knew what it was, what it did and how to control it. His gene was a pain in the ass at times and he wasn't going to risk anything even remotely similar happening again.

To make matters worse he had, of course, been trapped in the time loop with Rodney. The scientist could be crabby enough on a good day and he knew that this hadn't been a good one the first time round. . Therefore the scientist was stuck relieving the same crap day and John was the unfortunate soul trapped along with him on the receiving end of the man's increasing annoyance.

"How's it going?" Elizabeth questioned as she entered the lab.

"The same as it was when you asked me in the last loop," Rodney replied bitterly.

"Well since I don't have the benefit of remembering," Elizabeth began unaffected by Rodney's attitude; it was something you got used to after a while. "Why don't you remind me?"

"We don't even know why the Ancients made this thing," Rodney told her, more disgust in the word 'thing' than John had ever heard the scientist use when referring to advanced alien technology. "We don't know how it was activated and we don't know how to deactivate it. Now if everyone could with the interruptions I might be able to figure those things out."

"He's a little crabby today," John told Elizabeth with a shrug.

"I am not crabby, I'm just... annoyed," Rodney responded earning himself two raised eyebrows. The scientist refocused his attention back onto the device muttering to himself as he worked.

"It's a little frustrating," John defended his team mate. He felt like snapping at a few people himself but unlike Rodney had a little more restraint in that department.

"I'm sure it is," Elizabeth replied in her diplomatic, understanding tone of voice. "But I'm also sure we'll figure out how to stop it."

John held her gaze a moment longer than was really necessary, he probably did that a little too often. As often as she broke it though she left the task up to him.

"Geez will you two stop making googly eyes at each other everyday and just make out already, preferable somewhere I can't see you," Rodney interrupted breaking the moment for them.

"Rodney," John exclaimed, resisting the urge to hit him while trying to keep the blush from creeping any further up his neck, were they really that obvious?

"Oh come on," Rodney replied with an eye roll. "It's not like she'll remember it."

"That's not really the point," John told him as Elizabeth clasped her hands together in front of her.

"Just keep me up to date," she said as she left.

* * *

Eleven loops, they had been doing this for eleven loops and it was now way beyond annoying. At least they'd made some progress; Rodney had managed to access some data that was stored in the device during the last loop. John didn't actually know what it was, the loop had started again just as Rodney had been about to explain it. They were sitting in the briefing room with Elizabeth and the rest of his team as Rodney explained what he'd found out though he'd warned John that it wasn't much and it didn't really help them.

"The data contained information on why the Ancients built this device; well actually it was just one Ancient and she kept a log stored within the device. A close friend of hers died, he was killed in the war with the Wraith and she was forever haunted by it, by what she could have done to save him. She started building a device that would allow her to go back in time and fix the event that had killed him but he still died. She wanted to try again but the other Ancients discovered what she was doing and took the device and all her research away from her," Rodney explained, everyone was listening intently, especially Elizabeth on the end, if it was about the Ancients she was usually enthralled.

"She left Atlantis and started all over again but instead of just building a time machine she wanted to build a device that would loop time, allowing her to relive a specific period of time over and over until she deactivated it. It would give her the time she needed to do everything she could, try every possible scenario to save her friend. It worked, she was able to go back to the point in time where he had died and keep reliving those few hours until it drove her crazy, no matter what she did he still died."

"So she did not save him in the end?" Teyla questioned and Rodney shrugged.

"I don't know, the log entries ended shortly after she started going mad but the end note said that the device wouldn't stop. She couldn't get it to deactivate, not until she found her resolution," he told them.

"And that means what?" John questioned.

"I have no idea but if we figure out what it means then we might be able to shut the device off," Rodney replied. "I think SG1 had it easy."

John remembered reading a report on that, General O'Neill and Teal'c had been caught in a time loop. They'd relived the same day over and over again for months, John wasn't sure his mental stability could last that long. "How did they cope with this?" he questioned rubbing at his eyes.

"They didn't say it in the report but I have it on good authority that they found ways of entertaining themselves," Rodney told him and John looked at him expectantly waiting for him to expand on his answer. "They could do whatever they wanted without have to face consequences, in the end the loop repeated and the only ones who remembered it were them."

"Really," John replied a million thoughts and ideas coming to him all at once and from the look on Rodney's face he was coming to the same conclusion.

"Oh no," Elizabeth said, knowing straight away what he was thinking. John and Rodney both stood up and left the room.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree._

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

* * *

**Loop in Time**

_By Hannah554_

* * *

Chapter 3

Under the guise of having some work for him to do John had lured Kavanaugh onto the Jumper and was now orbiting the planet. The scientist had had the nerve to come back to Atlantis yet again and start making Elizabeth's life hell, whatever vendetta the man had against her John didn't like it. He'd been tempted many times to give Kavanaugh a piece of his mind but the consequences he might face himself had always prevented him from doing so. Time loop meant no consequences and John could vent some of his frustrations at the scientist without worrying about repercussions.

He and Rodney had been living the last three loops enjoying their new found freedom, he had no idea what the scientist had been up to but he'd been in a much better mood recently. John had spent one loop performing various tricks with the Jumper, things he would never usually try to pull off because of the danger, the risk but hell he loved to fly and now he knew the Jumpers were capable of so much more than anyone realised, it could actually be a helpful piece of knowledge one day.

John parked the jumper in orbit, checking to make sure everything was okay before turning in his chair to look at Kavanaugh. The scientist looked confused as he looked at John, he must have seen something in his gaze because the confusion was joined by fear.

"Why are we are?" he questioned. "Colonel," he added nervously.

"Because I think the two of us need to have a little chat," John told him purposely making the statement sound as malicious as possible. Kavanaugh pressed himself back in his chair, if he'd pushed himself back any further he'd probably go through it.

"About what?" he asked and John stood up gesturing for Kavanaugh to go into the back compartment of the Jumper. "I'd rather stay here thank you."

"What makes you think you have a choice?" John questioned raising an eyebrow and lowering his tone enough that Kavanaugh walked passed him into the back compartment, watching John warily as he did so. He pushed his glasses up his nose in a geeky gesture that John didn't mind when other people did it but from Kavanaugh it annoyed him to no end. Like most things the scientist did the movement was filled with smug arrogance that made John want to smack that pompous attitude right out of him.

"What's this all about Colonel?" Kavanaugh questioned with a bit more courage than he'd shown up until this point, that air of arrogance creeping back in again.

"You making Dr Weir's life more difficult that it really needs to be," John told him, keeping his voice low. "I gotta say, I don't like it, I don't like the way you talk to her, I don't like the way you look at her, I don't even like the way you breathe around her, hell I don't like you."

"And what would you like me to do about that?" Kavanaugh asked.

"I'd like you to stop, in fact I'd like you to go apologise to her," John stated.

"And if I don't, what are you gonna do?" Kavanaugh questioned with a raised eyebrow, his gaze smug. "Feed me to a Wraith? You can't do a thing to me, the IOA already don't want you or Dr Weir here. You do anything to me and I'll make sure they have everything they need to get rid of you both for good."

John stepped forward, his eyes meeting Kavanaugh's "You think you'll be able to tell them anything?" he asked. "I can make you disappear right now, no one knows we're up here and I doubt anyone will miss you for a while. When the IOA come asking where the little lap dog is I'll just have to tell them that you disappeared, no one knows where you went."

"You wouldn't," Kavanaugh stated though all traces of arrogance were gone again now.

"Check my record, I think you'll find I will," John told him, never removing his eyes from Kavanaugh.

* * *

John walked into Elizabeth's office, in this loop she and the rest of Atlantis had no idea what was going on. Rodney and John hadn't bothered to explain it they'd just gone on with their antics. Elizabeth looked up as he entered the room and smiled, the expression fading when she saw Kavanaugh following him.

"Elizabeth," John began cheerfully getting a wary look from her "Kavanaugh has something he'd like to say to you."

He pushed Kavanaugh forward hiding his grin as Elizabeth looked at Kavanaugh and then at him in confusion. He wished she'd be able to remember this moment but he'd just have to settle for telling her about it later. It wasn't as good as it seeing it for herself but maybe it would help her somehow to know that it happened.

"Dr Weir," Kavanaugh began awkwardly. "I'd like to apologise for my behaviour and my attitude towards you. I know I have made things difficult and I've made a lot of bad situations worse, so... I'm sorry."

Elizabeth looked completely baffled as John allowed Kavanaugh to leave the office, looking miserable, defeated and just a little bit angry. He allowed himself the smile he'd been keeping in check since he'd walked into the office.

"John, what did you do?" Elizabeth questioned and John feigned a look of hurt.

"I didn't do anything," he told her and she raised an eyebrow at him, she knew him better than that. "I just took Kavanaugh for a ride in the Jumper and told him I thought it would be very beneficial for him to come here and apologise to you."

"Beneficial how?" she asked and he shrugged.

"Beneficial for his life and the jeopardy it might be placed in if he didn't," he replied and he could see the smile she tried to hide.

"John, you can't go around threatening members of the expedition that you don't like," she stated.

"Why not, I do it to Rodney all the time," he said.

"Rodney knows you wouldn't hurt him at the end of the day," she told him. "Kavanaugh's going to cause us hell with the IOA now."

"No he won't, don't worry in a few hours he won't even remember that it happened," he stated with a grin, he really had enjoyed that.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree._

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

* * *

**Loop in Time**

_By Hannah554_

* * *

Chapter 4

"He'll kill us you know?" Rodney said for the tenth time as John commanded the doors of the Satedan's room to open. As usual Atlantis obeyed his instruction, the city rarely failed to do as he asked it to.

"He can't kill us, we're in a time loop, in a few hours it will never have happened," John replied as he looked around the room, the Satedan was still asleep in his bed, snoring lightly.

"I just hope if he kills us the time loop still restarts and we get to come back to life," Rodney muttered.

"Quiet Rodney," John whispered, Ronon was alert even when sleeping any noise beyond the necessary was guaranteed to wake him up. A year ago John wouldn't have even attempted this but Ronon had gotten comfortable now, relaxed inside the walls of the city and he could sleep as deeply as anyone else. John walked quietly through the room, glaring at Rodney whose footsteps weren't anywhere near as light. He approached the bed with the slumbering Satedan in it cautiously and took the scissors out of his pocket.

"I'm so glad he won't remember this," Rodney said quietly and John glared at him again, he'd been very specific about what would happen if Ronon woke up while he and Rodney were still in the room. If they didn't do this according to play then it could very well end in their deaths.

He reached very slowly for the first dreadlock, it was laid loose on the pillow and John snipped it off a few inches from the top. He handed it back to Rodney, the scientist dropped it into the bag he'd been carrying with him. John got to work on the next one, Ronon moved slightly mumbling something incoherent and John pulled back, holding his breath until his team mate had settled down again. John could only imagine what they'd look like if Ronon woke up now, both of them holding their hands in the air, John with the scissors and Rodney with the see through bag containing his hair.

He continued with his task, taking a few minutes to cut off all of the man's dreadlocks, including the riskier ones at the back. The Satedan moved a few more times, there was one point where he seemed to open his eyes and Rodney almost had a heart attack. The scientist was half way to the door when John stopped him, their team mate having settled back into his sleep. With all of the dreadlocks now safely in the bag the two of them hurried out of the room, heading to John's quarters to start the second part of their plan.

* * *

John walked into the control room with Rodney a few steps behind him, Elizabeth was stood talking to Teyla and both women's eyes widened when they saw the two men approaching. John was only just able to keep a neutral expression, walking toward them as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

"What did you do?" Elizabeth asked as though she feared for their very lives.

"What?" John questioned faking obliviousness. "Oh you mean the hair, what do you think, I kind of like it."

"Ronon will kill you," Teyla stated, shock not yet gone as she stared at the two men.

They were wearing Ronon's dreadlocks, pinned onto their own hair. Rodney had been reluctant to do it but he really hadn't taken that much convincing, his only fear came from the knowledge that Ronon would indeed kill them if he got the chance. There was less than fifteen minutes left of the loop though and the Satedan would hopefully never get that chance.

"Sheppard, McKay!" an angry voice shouted and John turned to see Ronon storming into the room with his dreadlocks severed. He got a lot of odd looks as he walked through the room but mostly everyone was just waiting so see if they were about to become witnesses to a murder.

"Hey Ronon," John greeted "Nice hair cut, we decided to make a change too, what do you think?" he asked gesturing to the dreadlocks dangling from his head.

"I think we should leave now," Rodney whimpered from behind him and John could hear his footsteps backing up.

"Run," Ronon instructed "Run before I get my hands on you cos I'm gonna kill you."

"How very un-team like of you," John stated and Ronon seemed to get just that little bit angrier. John ducked out just as the Satedan lunged at him, grabbing Rodney and making a break for the stairs. Ronon was hot on their heals, with years of running experience he had an advantage on them but then Rodney and John had something he didn't, the time loop.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree._

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

* * *

**Loop in Time**

_By Hannah554_

* * *

Chapter 5

John had absolutely no idea how many loops he and Rodney had been through now; he'd stopped keeping track a long time ago. John knew he could probably go a few hundred more loops with the amount of pranks and various other antics he could pull without having to worry about consequences but he also knew that sooner or later they had to put a stop to this, they weren't the only ones trapped in a time loop, everyone else was too, even if they couldn't remember it.

For that reason he had dragged Rodney away from his attempt at pulling a prank on Laura, he wasn't sure what the scientist had been trying to do but he was sure that he'd probably saved him from whatever Laura would do in retaliation.

"We should get back to work," John told him and Rodney looked at him incredulously.

"That's easy for you to say, all you do is sit there and annoy me," Rodney muttered but John got no real protest from him so he assumed his team mate was in agreement with him. The two of them headed to the lab where the device was being kept, Rodney getting to work and John taking a seat nearby. "You don't have to stay here you know," Rodney told him. "All you'll do is distract me, go make out with Elizabeth or something."

"Quit saying that," John said though he couldn't muster up the anger he'd wanted to put into the order.

"Why?" Rodney questioned. "We both know you want to and now you can do it without getting smacked for it."

"Rodney I don't know what you're... you think she'd smack me for it?" John asked it was the first time he'd gotten beyond the initial thought of kissing her and the knowledge that it was probably a bad idea, for a million different reasons he wouldn't risk it.

"I don't know," Rodney shrugged barely paying attention now. "But now's a good time to find out, you're not risking anything if she won't remember it later."

John was ashamed to admit that the thought hadn't even crossed his mind, of all the things he could do, all the things he wanted to do, that one should have been at the top of the list. Rodney wasn't even paying him the slightest bit of attention now, he was focused completely on the ancient device and John took the opportunity to slip out of the room.

* * *

It had taken him forever to track her down; Elizabeth had been running around the city like a mad woman in this loop, every time he got to where she was she'd moved on. He finally found her in her office, sat with her paperwork and a cup of coffee. When he got out of this loop he'd have to make sure she had lunch, it just had to get to lunch time first. He walked in and took his usual seat waiting for her to finish what she was doing and look up offering him a warm smile, oblivious to the fact that she was stuck in a time loop.

"John, what can I do for you?" she asked "Or are you just bored?"

"Boredom isn't really an issue for me right now, trust me I have a million ways to entertain myself today," he told her and she gave him an odd look but he shrugged it off. "I just came to talk to you."

In all his wondering around the city trying to find her he hadn't actually figured out what he was going to say to her. Now he was left sitting there feeling awkward, he stood up trying to shake off the feeling as he turned his back to her, she wouldn't even remember this. He was obviously worrying Elizabeth, he heard her stand up, heard her footsteps as she walked around the desk.

"John, are you alright?" she questioned and John took a deep breath and turned around. He hadn't realised how close to him she was, neither had she by the look on her face which at the moment was only inches from his.

"What would you do if I kissed you right now?" he asked her surprising himself and resisting the overwhelming urge to just do it. Her eyes widened and he was fairly sure she'd stopped breathing but then he wasn't entirely sure he was breathing either. She stood there frozen for several seconds and he didn't have it in him to be the one to move and break this moment, she hadn't answered yet which meant she hadn't told him she'd smack him all the way back to earth yet.

She open and closed her mouth, whatever response she had died before she could make a sound. He wanted so much to do it, to just close the small distance between them and kiss her, find out for sure what she'd do, what her response would be. They were in an office with see through windows though, a busy control room outside and the gate room below. If anyone needed anything then this is where they'd come, especially since both of the city's leaders were in here.

Elizabeth finally seemed to regain enough of her partially stunned senses to respond, she blinked several times as though she was trying to shake herself back to reality. John braced himself for whatever she was about to say, it felt like his entire being, his sanity all relied on this moment. "I'd..."

The loop started again.

"Damn it," John cursed as he sat up in bed, punching the bed sheets.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree._

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

* * *

**Loop in Time**

_By Hannah554_

* * *

Chapter 6

John's frustration was still obvious even several loops after he'd confronted Elizabeth. Five more seconds, that was all he would have needed, he would have had her answer, he'd know for certain what she'd do if he walked in there right now and kissed her. He sat in the control room; Rodney had kicked him out of the lab three loops ago and told him not to come back unless Rodney called for him. Apparently the scientist had been making progress and John's negative attitude was distracting him. Since then he'd been wallowing in his frustration which had only served to worsen his mood.

He could see Elizabeth in her office doing her paperwork same as she'd been doing the last time he'd walked in there. She had no idea he was watching her though she could obviously feel something, she kept looking up, her eyes scanning around her. He'd sat in the corner, if she looked hard enough she'd see him but with just a cursory glance around she missed him every time.

"Sir, are you alright?" one of the airmen asked, he was probably radiating bad mood vibes.

"Fine," he all but snapped.

"It's just..." he continued obviously not understanding that the best thing he could do was leave his commanding officer alone. "You've been sitting here glaring at the control room staff for the last three hours."

"I'm fine," John reiterated making sure the airmen understood that if he wanted to walk away from this conversation in one piece he should do it now. Fortunately the man got the message this time and with a solute he left John to his wallowing.

Elizabeth looked up from her paper work again as John returned his gaze to her, she looked confused and like she was actually contemplating the thought that maybe she really did need more sleep. She shook her head, trying to shake off the feeling that she clearly couldn't pin point and stood up leaving her desk and heading to the balcony, their balcony. John wasn't even aware that he was following her until he was stepping through the balcony doors. She turned and offered him a smile as he walked toward her, moving her eyes back to the ocean and closing them when she was hit by the sea breeze.

"Hey," he greeted, his frustration not entirely hidden in his voice. "I was expecting to find you hard at work," he told her pretending he hadn't spent the last few hours watching her every move. She shrugged with another smile.

"Just needed some fresh air," she told him. "I've had this weird feeling all morning."

"Really?" John questioned receiving a nod in response. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really," she replied turning to look at him. "What about you?"

"What about me?" he asked.

"You seem... frustrated, annoyed, I don't know, that's why I'm asking," she told him and John suppressed a smirk, she had no idea just how frustrated and annoyed he was, nor did she know that she was the cause.

"Just having one of those days, several of them actually," he stated and she gave him an odd look, confused but she let it drop. She never pressed him to talk, she let him decide to do it by himself, when he was ready to talk it was usually her he'd come to. He looked at his watch, this loop was almost over but he had enough time to talk to her, to get rid of his frustration and then go help Rodney end the time loop. "What would you do if I kissed you?" he asked her again and just like the last time she stared at him in shock unable to formulate a response in her usual quick manner.

"That's what's bothering you?" she asked him and he nodded.

"So, what would you do?" he questioned again, she looked uncertain, wary even as she stared at him, trying to judge why he would ask her that. Deep down she had to know, she might deny it, hell he'd denied until this point but she had to know.

"I'd..." she began, that was as far as he'd gotten in his last attempt and there was still time for her to continue. "I actually don't know."

That surprised him; at least she hadn't said that she'd smack him. He needed to know, needed to be sure before this loop ended and he spent the next few wallowing in self pity again. He stepped closer to her, turning her to look at him and she looked back, the answer he needed was right there. He stepped back again, taking a deep breath and forcing himself not to follow through.

"John..." Elizabeth began more confused than she had been this entire time.

"Not now," he told her."I can't do it now."

"Why?" she asked him, the question confirmed the conclusion he'd already come to, if he kissed her, she'd kiss him back.

"Because you won't remember it," he replied, kissing her now felt like a betrayal somehow. "When I kiss you I want you to remember it."

He left then, it felt almost cruel of him to leave her standing there so confused but it didn't last, as he walked through the control room the loop started again.

* * *

John went to Rodney's lab, he hadn't seen the scientist for... he had no idea how many loops and in that time Rodney had gotten just as worked up as John had been. He hit the device with his fist, cursing it and calling it a name that John didn't quite catch. John widened his eyes, debating whether to go in and risk getting his head snapped off or just go and find something to do with himself for the next four hours.

"Good few loops?" John questioned only to be glared at.

"I thought I told you not to come back," Rodney stated.

John shrugged "I'm feeling better now."

"I don't even want to know," Rodney said, screwing up his face with a disgusted look.

"Rodney you have a sick mind," John told the scientist as he pulled up one of the lab stools. "So what have you found out without my distracting negative energy around?"

"Nothing," Rodney grumbled. "Nothing useful at least, hence why we're still stuck in the time loop."

"So it wasn't my negative energy's fault," John replied getting glared at again. "If there's no off switch then maybe something else switches it off."

"Like what?" Rodney questioned as though it was a stupid suggestion. John figured Rodney's problem was that he always over complicated things, John had figured out in the last few minutes, now that he had really put his mind to it, how to end the loop, he figured Rodney just needed a nudge. Rodney clicked his fingers in his usual 'I've figured it out now let me have your attention while I pull the thought out of my head' manner. "Resolution," he stated and John smiled to himself, the scientist had it.

"Maybe we have to find some kind of resolution to something personal to us," Rodney continued seemingly amazed by the simplicity of it as he looked at John. "I think it's safe to say you found yours."

"Yes Rodney," John replied. "Now what's yours?"

"How should I know," Rodney said and John rolled his eyes, if Rodney didn't know what he wanted to get out of the time loop then nobody did.

They spent the next few hours arguing about how they were going to end the loop, John insisted that it was up to Rodney to figure out what he wanted, Rodney insisted he didn't know. John looked at his watch, his eyes widening as he grinned and resisted the urge to jump out of his chair and do a victory dance.

"What?" Rodney questioned.

"Loop finished ten minutes ago," John told him "We did it."

"Wait?" Rodney began "What was my resolution?"

"Probably that stupid device, you hate not being able to figure things out and you'd spent days messing with it," John stated as he stood up to leave. "Put the damn thing away somewhere I'll never stumble across it."

"Where are you going?" Rodney questioned.

"I have something to do," John told him heading for Elizabeth's office.

THE END


End file.
